The Inclusive on Courtland | 38, 34, 30 & 29 fl | Proposed

[david77123]

We just been told that CN has withdrawn their appeal and the developer is moving ahead with site planning.

[KevinT]

The fact they are also objecting to The Metz which is beside a nearly abandoned branch/spur line makes me think they're just bring difficult for their own long term or financial goals. It can't solely be a liability issue because they have tracks running through our own residential neighbourhoods and hundreds more across the country.

This is exactly why ION has that pewp-show Hayward S to contend with instead of a straight run to a gentle curve into the hydro corridor. I daydream about an Ottawa-Cyrville style station at Block Line, then cry.

[ac3r]

It's odd because the ION runs directly beside CP tracks anyway and the CP tracks go behind plenty of houses nearby. I'm very curious what their reasoning is. At least CN is more open...CN took over GEXR/Genesee & Wyoming tracks in Southern Ontario once again and run trains from Elmira directly on the Ion tracks and do street running trains right through uptown Waterloo to connect them to their mainline in Kitchener. Though, since they withdrew their petition, I guess it was all nonsense anyway.

[timc]

This is exactly why ION has that pewp-show Hayward S to contend with instead of a straight run to a gentle curve into the hydro corridor. I daydream about an Ottawa-Cyrville style station at Block Line, then cry.

That would be amazing. And considering how much stuff we have built, it probably would have been cheaper.

[ijmorlan]

It's odd because the ION runs directly beside CP tracks anyway and the CP tracks go behind plenty of houses nearby. I'm very curious what their reasoning is. At least CN is more open...CN took over GEXR/Genesee & Wyoming tracks in Southern Ontario once again and run trains from Elmira directly on the Ion tracks and do street running trains right through uptown Waterloo to connect them to their mainline in Kitchener. Though, since they withdrew their petition, I guess it was all nonsense anyway.

CN has no street-running trains in the City of Waterloo. I’m not sure what location you’re thinking of.

But your main point is absolutely correct, that trains seem to be able to run near other things when they want them to.

[ac3r]

It's odd because the ION runs directly beside CP tracks anyway and the CP tracks go behind plenty of houses nearby. I'm very curious what their reasoning is. At least CN is more open...CN took over GEXR/Genesee & Wyoming tracks in Southern Ontario once again and run trains from Elmira directly on the Ion tracks and do street running trains right through uptown Waterloo to connect them to their mainline in Kitchener. Though, since they withdrew their petition, I guess it was all nonsense anyway.

CN has no street-running trains in the City of Waterloo. I’m not sure what location you’re thinking of.

But your main point is absolutely correct, that trains seem to be able to run near other things when they want them to.

Yeah I worded that incorrectly, my bad. GEXR/Genesee & Wyoming operate the trains up to the chemical plant in Elmira, but then they come down along both the Ion tracks and CN Waterloo Spur. CN owns the tracks as the GEXR lease ended a few years ago though GEXR still operates the trains.

[ijmorlan]

CN has no street-running trains in the City of Waterloo. I’m not sure what location you’re thinking of.

But your main point is absolutely correct, that trains seem to be able to run near other things when they want them to.

Yeah I worded that incorrectly, my bad. GEXR/Genesee & Wyoming operate the trains up to the chemical plant in Elmira, but then they come down along both the Ion tracks and CN Waterloo Spur. CN owns the tracks as the GEXR lease ended a few years ago though GEXR still operates the trains.

I believe the Region owns the Waterloo Spur. CN owns the main line down in Kitchener. I don’t know the exact boundary, but as far as I know it is right near where the Spur branches off the main line. I do know that agreements on where one company’s track ends and another begins typically say something like “up to the north end of the first fishplate south of the junction at Mile 11.2” so they are very precise about where exactly responsibility is allocated.

I don’t think that is true about GEXR still operating the trains. When CN took over, all the power on the line switched over to different locomotives. My kids haven’t see the “LPX brothers” for quite some time. However, I welcome correction.

[KevinL]

CN owns the line through Stratford into Kitchener up to Park Street; from there to Georgetown it's Metrolinx property, but CN has freight rights.

[taylortbb]

For questions of rail ownership, https://rac.jmaponline.net/canadianrailatlas/ is a resource that should be more widely known. Shows the full Canadian rail network, and its ownership.

[ac3r]

For questions of rail ownership, https://rac.jmaponline.net/canadianrailatlas/ is a resource that should be more widely known. Shows the full Canadian rail network, and its ownership.

Any idea where they get the data from? I normally use OpenRailwayMap when exploring rail infrastructure since they include many other countries. I don't know where they pull data either. They show CN owning the tracks until it hits Northfield Station where they then merge onto the Ion tracks which are RoW owned, then it shows they return to CN ownership around Waterloo Public Square (see: https://i.imgur.com/rosAuZu.png). To me, that makes more sense since I don't know why RoW would have taken ownership over the spur where the Ion doesn't run (i.e. around Northfield and the spur between uptown and downtown).

Anyway, glad CP pulled out their grievances. Both the Vierra Village and The Metz projects are really ugly, but at least it's new housing development, so that's welcomed.

[taylortbb]

Any idea where they get the data from?

To me, that makes more sense since I don't know why RoW would have taken ownership over the spur where the Ion doesn't run

The map is from https://www.railcan.ca/rac-initiatives/c...ail-atlas/ , so it's maintained by the Canadian railway industry association with data from members. Which probably explains why it's reported as WCR the whole way, the region wouldn't be a member.

I am certain however that the region owns the entire spur, from the CN mainline all the way to Elmira. They bought it from CN in the early/mid 2000s, in anticipation of Ion. Lots of council documents about that.

[jamincan]

This newsletter from the Waterloo Central Railway indicates that the spur was purchased by the Region of Waterloo in 1995. I think they would likely know.

On July 31, 1995, the line was purchased by the Region of Waterloo. The line retained its previous name and continued to operate solely as a freight line until 1997, when a new tourist train arrived.

Source: http://waterloocentralrailway.com/wp-con...ss_004.pdf

[creative]

It appears that this property is now for sale.
https://realtor.ca/real-estate/24866894/...arelisting

[Acitta]

It appears that this property is now for sale.
https://realtor.ca/real-estate/24866894/...arelisting

Wow, only $1!

[Kodra24]

It appears that this property is now for sale.
https://realtor.ca/real-estate/24866894/...arelisting

Wow, only $1!

I believe they changed the rules recently that commercial/industrial real estate can be listed for whichever amount - many properties are getting listed now for $1 in this space